Banana Boat Aerosol Sunscreen Recalled After Stow Man Catches Fire

BOSTON (CBS) – The makers of Banana Boat sunscreen announced on Friday that they are voluntarily recalling an entire line of aerosol sunscreens over the risk that they could catch fire after being applied to a person’s skin.

Brett Sigworth says he caught on fire after applying sunscreen.

WBZ-TV reported back in May that Brett Sigworth of Stow stepped in front of a barbecue grill shortly after applying the aerosol spray-on sunscreen, and his body was immediately engulfed in flames.

Sigworth suffered second-degree burns on his chest, ear and back.

The makers of Banana Boat, Energizer Holdings, say they believe the problem has to do with the design of the UltraMist spray can.

“Energizer believes that this issue is associated with the product delivery system, specifically the size of the spray valve opening on the affected products,” the company said in a recall announcement on its website. “The spray valve opening on the affected products dispenses more than is typical in the industry for continuous sun care sprays. As a result, the product is taking longer to dry on the skin than is typical with other continuous sprays. If a consumer comes into contact with a flame or spark prior to complete drying of the product on the skin, there is a potential for the product to ignite.”

The company says it is in the process of fixing the issue and expects to have revamped Banana Boat spray sunscreen products back on shelves in the near future.

Consumers with questions or complaints regarding this market withdrawal can contact Energizer by calling Consumer Affairs at 1-800-SAFESUN (1-800-723-3786) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., or by sending an email to: SUNCARE@customerfollowup.info.